Why School Choice Will Someday Come to Idaho
Do you want your kids to graduate high school with a skill that can provide a job? I believe most parents would say yes. You don’t send them off to class expecting they’ll learn nothing or that some teacher will try and indoctrinate them into an ideology or lifestyle you find loathsome.
I’ve consistently heard an echo from Idaho’s establishment media. The reporters and editors tell us most Idahoans support public schools and oppose choice. Is it true? It’s possible the way in which the questions are asked leads to answers supporting the media’s position. Which is the one shared with teacher unions, spendthrift liberals, and assorted others who despise America and American culture. All of these groups support tossing more money at schools as the only solution.
New research from the Mountain States Policy Center provides a more nuanced view of attitudes toward schooling in Idaho. The center is a new think tank established to find new and affordable solutions to persistent problems.
It turns out that Republicans in Idaho are happier with public schools than liberals. I would’ve thought it was the other way around but one explanation brings us back to money. The lefties believe we’ll someday improve test scores and graduation rates by picking more from your pockets. Is there a moment when it eventually stops or will education suck up all our resources?
Here’s a better question the pollsters could use when talking with parents. If school choice was applied equally to every family, would you support the idea?